Conveyer-chain



(No Model.)

' O. H. TAYLOR.

GONVEYER CHAIN.

No. 462,417. Patented Nov. 3, 1891.

i 11/ "ii WITNESSES: INVENTUR gag-9% WQk UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES II. TAYLOR, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

CONVEYER-CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,417, dated November 3, 1891.

Application filed July 7, 1890. Serial No. 358,012. (No model.)

, To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoin, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyer- Chains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to con veyer-chains for corn-harvesters and other machineryin which such chains carrying automatic fingers would be useful.

The object of my invention is to provide a chain of this kind with automatic fingers hinged thereto, which will be better adapted to certain classes of Work than any of the conveyor-chains before in use. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end view of aconveyer-chain with an automatic finger hinged thereto, and giving a sectional view of a mechanism which may be used to guide the chain and hold it in its proper position while it travels in its regular course, and a device for guiding or operating said finger. Fig. 2 is a top view of a finger, and showing a spring which may be used to hold the finger steady and keep it from rattling. Fig. is the same as Fig. 1, except that the guide for the finger is extended so as to tilt said finger upward. Fig. 4 shows another form of finger and means for operating the same. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an attachment-link. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a conveyor-chain in its proper working position provided with automatic fingers, and showing means for guiding said fingers. Fig. 7 is a side view of an attachment-link and two plain links of a conveyorchain.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The sides of the links 1 of this conveyerchain should be made with their top and bottom surfaces flat and level, the bottom surface being on a level with the hooks at the end of the links. This enables the guides 10,

11, and 12 to hold the chain in its proper position while traveling with but very little friction.

The attaclunent-links 1 are provided with lugs 2, by means of which the fingers 3 are hinged to the lugs by pivot-pins 4., Fig. 1.

.chains, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6, thus causing the fingers 3 to rise and fall whenever and wherever desired. The guide 8 for the fingers and the independent rectilinear guide support 10 for the chain may be formed of one strip of metal, and the supportingstrip 9 be dispensed with, as shown in Fig. 4., although the exact form shown in Fig. at would not answer for fingers with arms.

In some machines and for some purposes it might be preferable to use fingers without arms, as shown in Fig. 4., and these fingers may also be provided with rollers G and washers 7 for the purpose of reducing friction.

In Fig. 4 the proper form and position for the guides 8, in order to guide the fingers into different positions, is partly shown by dotted outline.

The links 1, which carry the automatic fingers, are coupled together by plain links 14., Fig. 7, and all the links should be provided with level surfaces for their proper bearing against and travel on the stationary chainsupporting guide. The pivot-pins of the fingers may be provided with springs, as in Fig. 2, for the purpose of holding the fingers steady and preventing them from rattling.

By means of the lugs 2 the automatic fingers are pivoted at one side of the chain, and therefore the chain travels on and is continu ously supported by the stationary rectilinear guide 10 in a vertical plane at one side and in rear of a vertical plane through the pivotpins of the fingers.

In my invention the traveling endless chain is supported by a stationary chainsupporting guide arranged at one side of the fingerguide, and the latter changes its form throughout its extentin the course of travel of the chain to automatically operate the fingers as the conditions require. The variable finger-guide is arranged below the pivots of the fingers and operates against the under sides thereof at a point between the free extremities of the fingers and the pivot-pins, which connect them with the lugs on the chain-links. This construction and combination of elements provide for the practicable operation of the parts and secure uniform and smooth action of the chain and fingers in their movements, so that a carrier is produced which is superior to those carriers wherein an endless chain is supported between two pulleys, one of which drives the chain.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a traveling endless chain having automatic fingers pivoted at one side thereof, of a chain-supporting guide on which the chain travels in rear of the finger-pivots, and a finger-guide which changes in form throughout its extent in the course of travel of the chain and is arranged at one side of the chain-supporting guide to act on the fingers between theirfree extremities, and the pivot-pins connecting them with the side of the chain, substantially as described.

2. Thecombination, with a traveling endless chain having automatic fingers pivoted at one side thereof, of a stationary chain'supporting guide on which the chain travels in rear of the finger-pivots. and a finger-guide arranged independent of the chaiirsupporting guide and varying in form throughout its extent in the course of travel of the chain and located at one side of the chain-supporting guide below the pivot-pins of the fingers to act against the under sides thereof at a point between their free extremities, and the pivot-pins connecting them with the side of the chain, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a traveling endless chain having automatic fingers pivoted at their pivot-pins, substantially as described.

at. The combination, with a traveling endless chain comprising chain-links having lateral lugs and automatic fingers pivoted to the lugs at one side of the chain-links, of a rectilinear chain-supporting guide on which the chain travels in rearof the finger-pivots, and a finger-guide located at one side of the chainsupporting guide, changing in form throughout its extent in the course of travel of the chain and arranged at one side of the chainsupporting guide to act on the fingers between their free extremities, and the pivot-pins connecting them with the lugs of the chain-links,

substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a traveling endless chain and automatic fingers pivoted at one side of the chain and each provided with a laterally-projecting arm located between the free extremities of the fingers and their pivot-pins,'of a rectilinear stationary chainsupporting guide on which the chain travels in rear of the finger-pivots and a finger-guide which is arranged at one side of the chainsupporting guide,and changesin form through the course of travel of the chain and acts on the laterall y-proj eoting arms between the free extremities of the fingers and their pivot-pins, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a traveling endless chain, of automatic fingers pivoted to the chain and each provided with alaterally-projecting guide-arm carrying an anti-friction roller suitably held thereon, a rectilinear stationary chain-supporting guide on which the chain travels, and a variable finger-guide acting on the anti-friction rollers, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a chain-supporting guide andatraveling chain moving thereupon, of automatic fingers pivoted to the chain in front-of the chain-supporting guide, and each provided with a laterally-projecting guide-arm, and a finger-guide varying in form through the course of travel of the chain and arranged at one side of the chain-supporting guide and below the pivots of the fingers to act against the laterally-projecting guidearms between the free extremities of the fingers and their pivots, substantially as described. I

CHARLES H. TAYLOR.

lVitnesses:

FREDERICK SHEPHERD, HARRY L. MARKELL. 

